The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) today reiterated its call for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw and significantly rework their recently-proposed rule on defining the "Waters of the United States." The action came in response to an economic analysis released today by Dr. David Sunding, an economist at the University of California at Berkley and a principal with The Brattle Group.

The report, Review of 2014 EPA Economic Analysis of Proposed Revised Definition of Waters of the United States, was commissioned by the Waters Advocacy Coalition (WAC), which represents the nation's construction, real estate, mining, agriculture, wildlife conservation, forestry, manufacturing and energy sectors and of which NCFC is a member. The report exams the EPA's cost-benefit analysis of their proposed "waters of the U.S." rule.  The rule can be found online by clicking here. 

Read more about this study by clicking here.

The American Farm Bureau is also touting this Sunding report as they call their members to action in their ongoing efforts to Ditch the Rule.

"The EPA's proposed waters of the U.S. rule is irreparably flawed from an economic standpoint," said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. "The rule is also an end run around Congress and two Supreme Court rulings, and in their official comments, farmers and ranchers across the national are calling on EPA to ditch the rule." 

To read more of the AFBF take on the study and a link to their Ditch the Rule website- click here.

Fallin Signs Beef Checkoff and Gross Production Tax Bills 

On Wednesday, Governor Mary Fallin signed SB 1851 which outlines how a state-based commodity checkoff would be created by Oklahoma beef producers.   She also signed HB 2562, which sets a permanent, across-the-board gross production tax rate starting in July of 2015, provides certainty for one of the state's leading job producing industries.

The beef checkoff bill was championed by Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association (OCA) this legislative session which concluded last week.  "This bill outlines the process which Oklahoma cattle producers would use to create a supplement beef checkoff program," said OCA president Richard Gebhart. He added, "We wanted language that would allow us to self-determine our own program."

(For more on this story click here.)

The State Chamber of Oklahoma is applauding Governor Fallin for signing House Bill 2562 for helping ensure Oklahoma's economic future. "Coming into this legislative session, the industry made it clear that decisions about next year's drilling are being made this summer, so the issue needed to be addressed now," said Fred Morgan, president and CEO of the State Chamber. "This compromise language shows how an engaged business community can lead to policies that will benefit the entire state."

The push to address the rate this year started with a report commissioned by the State Chamber Research Foundation that shows how important the industry is to the state. It found that the industry is already the single largest contributor to state revenues at over two-billion dollars.

To read more of this story click here.

USDA Awarding $6 Million for Producer Education for New Farm Bill Programs

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $6 million to universities and cooperative state extension services to develop online decision tools and other materials and train experts to educate producers about several key farm bill programs. The new Web tools will help farmers and ranchers determine what participation in programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill will mean for their businesses

USDA has awarded a grant to Oklahoma State University for providing a network of experts based at land-grant universities-for outreach and education on the new Farm Bill programs. Funds will be used to conduct public education outreach meetings where producers can speak with local extension agents and Farm Service Agency (FSA) staff. Outreach meetings will begin late this summer to help farmers and ranchers understand the new programs and their options.

Gary McManus: Memorial Day Weekend Rains Help with Drought--But Not Enough 

Memorial Day weekend rains improved drought conditions in some parts of the state, but they were simply insufficient to make a significant dent in the ongoing drought in western and northwestern Oklahoma.

Associate State Climatologist Gary McManus said 10-day rain totals show Jackson County up through Blaine County had the most widespread heavy rains, but the northeast part of the state was pretty lucky as well. Newport and Burneyville largely missed out with only 0.07 and 0.10 inches, respectively, as did Medford with 0.35 inches. Although other areas got what appears to be a good amount of rain, it simply was not enough to offset the long-term drought conditions. Altus received 3.59 inches, Mangum got 4.24 inches and Hobart had the most with 4.79 inches. In the northeast, Porter received 4.33 inches.  

The amount of the state actually in some drought intensity (D1-D4) dropped from 81 percent to 80 percent in the latest Drought Monitor. But the real improvements came in the upper-end intensities, with D3-D4 falling from 61.2 percent to 55 percent and D4 from 34.3 percent to 26.5 percent.

Click to see the latest US Drought Monitor Report.

Oklahoma Wheat Harvest Getting Underway; Quality Could be Good, Kim Anderson Says

Wheat harvest is getting underway in southern Oklahoma after a brief delay due to last weekend's rain storms. In this week's preview of Saturday's SUNUP program, Oklahoma State University Extension Grain Marketing Specialist Kim Anderson said producers are hoping to make up for this year's lack of quantity with quality.

"The quality of the crop is still a question. I do know that down in Texas, north Texas where they're cutting there, the test weight's good. It's good milling quality wheat. The early cutting down in Frederick and that area was 56-pound test, a low test weight, but the berries were filled out and that was one of the things we were concerned about was shrunken berries."

Anderson said he expects the production will be down in Oklahoma, but the quality could be sufficient to make good milling wheat.

Click to read Anderson's analysis on wheat prices.   

USDA Designates 11 Oklahoma Counties as Primary Natural Disaster Areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 11 counties in Oklahoma as primary natural disaster areas due to a recent drought. Those counties are: Carter, Cleveland, Creek, Garvin, Grady, McClain, Okfuskee, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Seminole and Tulsa.

" We're also telling Oklahoma producers that USDA stands with you and your communities when severe weather and natural disasters threaten to disrupt your livelihood, " said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
 

Farmers and ranchers in the following counties in Oklahoma also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. Those counties are: Caddo, Canadian, Comanche, Craig, Delaware, Hughes, Jefferson, Johnston, Lincoln, Love, McIntosh, Marshall, Murray, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Pawnee, Payne, Pontotoc, Rogers, Stephens, Wagoner and Washington.

Farmers and ranchers in the continuguous counties in Kansas and Missouri also qualify for natural disaster assistance.

For more details on the disaster assistance being made available click here.  

This N That- Superior Video Sale Kicks Off 8 AM This Morning, Latest Wheat Harvest Details and 65 Million Touches of the Consumer by Beef Checkoff

This week's Superior Video Livestock Auction cranks up this morning with their half hour Superior Sunrise telecast as seen on Rural TV on DISH Network- as well as on SuperiorClickToBid.Com at 7:30 AM Central time.

Promptly at 8 AM, the Superior Sale will get underway- with an offering of 21,000 head. Included will be 300 Holsteins, 4,600 Yearling Steers, 1,800 Yearling Heifers, 6,000 Weaned Calves, 7,400 Calves on Cows, 900 Replacement Heifers, Bred Heifers, Bred Cows, Pairs and Weighed Cows. 

Click here to learn more or call 1-800-422-2117 for information on how to buy or sell cattle the Superior way.

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Oklahoma's Wheat Harvest is just getting started in regions of Southern Oklahoma after the rains this past weekend. In most regions of Southwest Oklahoma as of Thursday morning, moisture levels have been too high for harvest to begin, but producers were hoping to be in the field by late afternoon- that according to the latest Oklahoma Wheat Commission Wheat Harvest Report.

The OWC provided us with a report from several southwest Oklahoma communities- including Hollis, Grandfield, Frederick and Cattanooga. Click here for their full report as released late Thursday afternoon.

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The new digital "Beef. It's What's For Dinner" (BIWFD) advertising campaign is off to a tremendous start, with exciting new creative elements and more information to reach the important millennial consumer.


The idea of "social" plays a big role in meal inspiration, instruction and sharing, with more than 300 million social media posts per month. That's why the millennial influence and explosion of digital media led your beef checkoff to develop five new BIWFD recipe videos on the BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com website.

How many impressions are "tremendous?" Well, try 65 million impressions generated over the first three weeks of the campaign- including touching consumers using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. 

Click here to read more about the early results- and also you can check out our latest Beef Buzz report that features an interview we did earlier this year with Michelle Murray of the NCBA on the new social media advertising strategy that is showing early success. Murray says She says "one of the most amazing things about social media is its ability to precisely target each customer."

Click here to jump over to our latest Beef Buzz featuring Murray as she offers some color commentary about the beef industy's cutting edge efforts to reach consumers.